Cable railway



(No Model.) WI M- LEVERING- 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.'

CABLE RAILWAY.

Patented-June9, 18-85.

'JNVENTOR W.

ATTORNEY W! T NESSES N, PETERS. FhaIo-Li'lhcgmphnr, wmh m mc.

(No Model.) W. M. LEVERING. a Sheets- Sheet 3.

CABLE RAILWAY.

No. 319,495 Patented June 9, 1885.

WITNESSES:

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- of the grip-slot of the crossed road.

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\VILLIAM M. LEVERING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CABLE RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,6t95, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed February 3, 1855. (No model.) I

To aZZ whom) it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. LEVERING, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Gable Railways and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention has relation to cable'motor railways; and it consists in certain improvements in railways operated by underground cables, whereby I am enabledto depress the cable of one road at or near the point where it is crossed by another in such a manner that the grip on the ear of the crossing road shall not come in contact with the cable ofthe crossed road.

It is obvious that it is very important that the cable of the crossed road shall be so dcto the depression-pulleys arranged along the top of the tube and be at such a height that it will be impossible for the crossing grip to ride over it.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan showing position of machinery when the road to be crossed is clear for the passage of 3 its car and grip. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of 1 same. Fig. 3 is a plan showing position of machinery when the car on the crossing road has arrived at the junction and depressed the cable of the crossed road to allow its own grip to pass over it. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 5 is a section through the center Fig. 6 is a plan showing arrangement of rollers on the grip of the crossing road. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 show different forms of mechanism for connecting the rock-shafts of the operating devices at the crossings. Fig. 13 shows the use of a counter-weight attached to the moving parts by means of a cord or chain and'pulley. Fig. 14: shows an arrangement of the pulley, hereinafter to be described, whereby it is forced down upon the cable in a circular direction instead of parallel to its own axis.

is the tubeway to be crossed, having av suitable opening in its sides to allow the passage of the grip and mechanism connected with the crossing road.. a is the cable situated therein. (See Fig. 2.) 13 is the tube for the crossing road, the same being suitably en larged at and near the crossing to permit the placing therein of the hereinafter-described mechanism, and having openings from the street, furnished with suitable covers, for the purpose of cleaning, removing, repairing, or oiling said mechanism, and b is the cable within the last-mentioned tube, which may be de pressed, if necessary, and so arranged as to be carried below and out'of the way of any grip passing through the tube A.

O G O O are bars of any suitable form in the tube B, having a motion at right angles, or nearly so, to the motion of the grip traveling therein, so arranged as to be forced apart on the approach of a grip within the tube 13, said grip being preferably fitted with doublerollers D running in contact with each other. These rollers may also be utilized for carrying the grip around a curve, if desired. I preferably arrange the bars 0 G on one side, and the bars 0 O" on the opposite side of the road to be crossed in such a manner and so connect them that the forward endof the grip of the crossing road and its rollers D D enter between the bars (3 and G onone side of the road to be crossed before the rear end of the said grip and its rollers leave the bars 0 and C on the opposite side of the road to be crossed, and make the portions of the bars 0 and 0*, which lie nearly parallel to the line of motion of the grip-shank, of such a length that the forward rollers do not leave the parallel portion of said bars until the rear rollers have reached it, thus keeping the mechanism connected to the bars 0 G C 0" in one position until the grip of the crossing road has entirely cleared the tube A of the road crossed.

As shown on the accompanying drawings, the bars 0 C are pivoted on pins 0, carried by the rocker-arms e on the shafts E, which extend down a sufficient distance to allow of the rocker-arms F and their connecting-rods f, connecting said shafts together to be below and out of the way of the passage of the grips in tubes A andB, said shafts E and rockerarms F being so arranged that the entry of the rollers D between the bars O O C O at any pointshall operate all the shafts atthat crossing simultaneously. On one or more of these shafts E is secured the rocker-arm G, carrying the pin g, which supports and actuates the arm H, connected by the pin h, having eyes on each end, to the rocker arms- K,

through the medium of the small pins h, the frame I being carried upon the wrist-pinsk in the rocker-arms K, which are suitably connected to rock-shafts supported by the main frame L. The pin h (and if necessary the pin 9 also) is made long enough to permit the arm H to slide vertically thereon to compensate for the endwise motion of the pin h with respect to the arm H by reason of the motion of the bell-cranks K, to which the pin h is attached. This main frame L may also support the rock-shafts E in suitable bearings, and may be carried under the tubeways A and B, as shown, or either of them, if desired, so as to connect the whole into one solid piece of mechanism, or may be made independent on each side of the tubes or attached thereto. The frame I carries the pin or bar M, on which may be mounted a roller, m, of any suitable form, for the purpose of reducing friction when in contact with the rope a in the tubeway A. One of the rocker-armsas, for instance, K- carries an arm, N, and counter-weight, 12, adjustable on and securely fastened thereto for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. A vertical pulley, O, is attached to the frame I for the purpose of keeping the rope a from coming in contact with the frames I or L. Vertical pulleys P may be'placed on one or both sides of the tube A to prevent the cable from being accidentally forced against the sides of the tube A; said rollers may either be made movable, as shown, or may be attached permanently to the tube A, frame L, or other support.

It is obvious that the rock-shafts E may be connected to the frame I by levers G and H, the lever H being connected to the lever G at one of its ends and to the frame I at its other end by ball-and-socket or gimble joints instead of sliding upon the pin h, as shown.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: On the approach of a grip in the tube B the jaws of said grip'are loosened from their hold on the cable b, and the rollers D entering between the bars 0 O rotate the shafts E by means of the levers e, said shafts E all being made to move simultaneously by means of the rock-shafts F and bars H, or equivalent means. The rotation of the shafts E throws the arm G to the posit-ion shown in Fig. 4, thus moving the arm H and pins h, and, by their motion,the frame I, pin M, and roller at will be forced forward and downward by the rotation of the rocker-arms K about their centers, thus-"throwing the pins M and its roller at over the ropes a and down upon it, removing it out of the way of the passage of the grip in the tube 13. After the grip in tube B has passed the crossing the bars 0 will be clear of the rollers D, and the counter-weight n, acting through the levers N and K, will move the plate I, carrying the pin M and roller m back to its original position and clear of the grip moving in the tube A, at the same time returning the bars 0 and O to their original place. The roller P may be mounted on one of the rock-levers e or separately attachedto the rock-shaft E in such a manner that the motion of opening the bars O and G will move the said roller P into the tube A and the closing of the said bars'will remove it clear of said tube, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3. v

I do not confine myself to the use of the bars 0, O, O", and 0 moving in a horizontal plane, as shown on the drawings, but may place them to move in a vertical or inclined plane, changing the arrangement of the supporting rocker-arms e, shafts E, andconnecting mechanism to suit; nor to the use of the rollers D D in contact with each other, having vertical axes, but may use them with horizontal or inclined axes, or may use any other suitable attachment to the grip or grip-shank for the purpose of moving the bars 0 0; nor do I confine myself to the use of the rockerarms and connecting-rods F and f for the purpose of moving the shafts E simultaneously, but may use racks and pinions, or shafts and bevel-wheels, or belts, ropes, bands, or chains on pulleys or sprocket-wheels, as shown in Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive, or may use double rocker-arms connected by pieces j, which are capable of taking tension onlyor compression only, as indicated in Fig. 12.

I do not confine myself to the use of two or more rocker-arms K, supporting frame Land compelling the axis of the roller m to remain parallel to itself during the time in which it is moved over and down upon the cable a, although I prefer to do so; but I may use two rocker-arms of unequal lengths, or when the normal level of the cable in the tube A is sufficiently low to permit of it may mount the roller m upon a single rocker-arm, as shown in Fig. 14, where the axis of the roller will formdiffcrent'angles with the vertical in its different positions and greatly simplify the mechanism. the use of the counter-weightn acting on a lever to return the plate I and rollerm to their original position after the passage of the grip and hold them there during the use of the tube A, but may use a rope or chain and pulley with a counter-weight or a spring, as illustrated in Fig. 13; nordo I confine myself to the use of the gripshank or an attachment thereto for the purpose of moving the bars 0, but may use a separate attachment moving with the car for that purpose. I may use one or more of the bars O'and one or more pins or projections M, as may be deemed advisable, and may use the bars 0 on one side only of the grip-slot, in which case I will use a sta- Neither do I confine myself to tionary bar, G, (shown in Fig. 1,) on the opposite side to prevent the grip-shank being bent by the pressure on one side only.

I am aware that a bar lying nearly parallel to the slot-irons, carrying a depression-pulley having a motion about asingle universal joint nearly at right angles to the said slot-iron and moved aside by the passage of a grip-shank, has been proposed for the purpose of moving such depression-pulley out of the way of the said gripshank, the said pulley being returned to its original place under the slot by means of a counter-weight after the passage of the grip-shank. Such is not my invention.

I am also aware that it has been proposed to hinge bars at the side of the tube to be crossed, which are depressed by the action of a grip in the crossing-tube running over them so that they come together at the center and form a bridge over which the said grip rolls and is thus kept out of contact with the crossed cables. Such is not my invention, nor are such hinged bars or bridges adapted to come in contact with the crossed cable and keep or force it down; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. At the crossing of cable roads or the j unction of lateral roads with the main line,the pin or bar or other projection M, which may or may not have a roller or rollers m mounted thereon, said pin or projection being held normally away from and having a motion over and upon the cable of the road to be crossed or joined to and operated by a grip-shank or other attachment to a car running on the road crossing or joining, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. At the crossing or junction of cable roads, a roller, m, held normally away from and adapted to be moved over and down in con tact with the rope a in the tubeway of the crossed road, in combination with suitable actuating mechanism operated by a gripshank or other attachment to the car of the crossing road.

3. At the crossing or joining of cable roads, in combination with a grip, grip-shank, or other attachment to the car running on one of said roads, the bars G, supported on rocklevers c, and so arranged as to open at right angles or nearly at right angles to the direction of motion of the grip of the crossing or joining road for the purpose of operating suitable mechanism for moving the cable of road crossed or joined to, out of the way of the passage of the grip or other attachments to the car of the road crossing or joining, as described.

4:. In combination with bars 0 C and their shafts and actuating mechanism, the arms G and H, either or both of which have a sliding motion on its supporting-pin in a direction at right angles to the plane of its rotation, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. At the junction or crossing of cable roads, two or more parallel shafts connected by actuating mechanism which impart to such shafts a simultaneous movement of rotation, substantially as shown and described.

6. At the j unction or crossing of cable roads, the combination of the projection or pin M, the movable frame I, two or more rock-levers,

K, and suitable supporting frame-worlgWhere- V by the frame I and projecting pin M are permitted to move in a direction nearly or quite parallel to themselves while the projection M is being moved over and down upon the cable to be crossed, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7 At the junction or crossing of cable roads, the combination of projection M, the frame I, two or more roclclevers, K, counter-weight n, and suitable supporting frame-Work, whereby the projection M is permitted to move in a direction nearly or quite parallel to itself while being moved over and down upon the cable to be crossed and returned to its original position.

8. At a crossing or junction of cable roads, the combination of the bars 0 O 0 G rockerarms 0, shafts E, rocker-arms G and H, frame I, pin or projection M, with or without its roller or rollers m, rockerarms K, and suitable supporting-frame, L, the rocker-arms F, and bars f, and counter-Weight n, the Whole being operated by a grip, grip shank, or other attachment to a car running on one of said roads, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with bars 0 G and their actuating mechanism, of the vertical rollers O, projecting slightly into and beyond the line of the tube of the crossed road, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. As an attachment to a cable-grip or grip-shank, the rollers D D rolling in contact with each other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a cable-motor railroad, the bars 0 G O 0, arranged on opposite sides of a road or tubeway to be crossed or joined to and so connected as to allow of one end of the operating mechanism attached to the car to enter between the bars 0 O on one side of the crossed road before the other end of said mechanism has left its position between the bars 0 G on the other side of said crossed road, substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In underground mechanism for cable roads, a fixed bar, in combination with a bar having a motion toward and from said fixed bar, and a grip or grip-shank, or the rollers or other attachment capable of coming in contact with said movable bar, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

IVILLIAM M. LEVERING.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. SELTZER, Mirr'r. CLIFTON. 

